fanciful devices: What I'm Dreaming of

A Stone Is Nobody's

A man ambushed a stone. Caught it.
Made it a prisoner.
Put it in a dark room and stood guard over it for the rest of his life.

His mother asked why.

He said, because it's held captive, because it is captured.

Look, the stone is asleep, she said, it does not know whether it's in a garden or not. Eternity and the stone
are mother and daughter; it is you who are getting old. The stone is only sleeping.

But I caught it, mother, it is mine by conquest, he said.

A stone is nobody's, not even its own. It is you who are conquered; you are minding the prisoner, which is yourself,
because you are afraid to go out, she said.

Yes yes, I am afraid, because you have never loved me, he said.

Which is true, because you have always been to me as the stone is to you, she said.

Russell Edson

FAQs

1. Are you a Southeast Asian dancing girl from the 1800s?

No, sorry to disappoint. My avatar and banner images are from an ancient book I found in the depths of my grandmother's cabinets. More on that here.

2. How do you make everything look so old?

First, you need a good oxidizer to brush on every bit of metal you can reach. I'll tell you all about it here.

Then there's this wax. I first mentioned it here. You'll have to scroll down a lot.

3. How can you be so productive?

I'm insanely obsessed and I have no offspring. I do nothing else- I don't have a day job, I don't clean my house or cook, I spend all day in pjs, often completely abandoning personal hygiene... I only interact with other humans when I walk my dog. And I like people! But I prefer dogs.

And I'm sloppy- but I make that sloppiness work for me.

4. Any tips you'd like to share?

No! Except for these 16 posts about techniques and this one about how to find your aesthetic.

5. Would you be offended if I took some inspiration from your designs?

Well, I'd be happier if you outright copied them.

No really, imitation is how we learn. I have enough ideas to go around. And even if I don't- please. No one's going to do this obsessively enough to threaten my business. (Probably.) I learned by copying others and I've seen others copy me as a step toward developing their own voice. So feel free. (I'd love if you tossed me a link in my comments, so I can feel like a proud momma.)

6. What do you look like?

Why, what have you heard? Really? Wow.

6/18/10

What I'm Dreaming of

So much inspiration in the world. This is what I dream of when I say 'tribal.'

Opium pipes and scales. (Hmong)
Of course these are all made by vastly different people in places quite isolated from each other.

Medicine bag (Yoruba) Sexy Sadhu

Hunting trophy, human skull (Naga)
But they share the aesthetic of over-worked forms and well-worn textures.

Earrings (can't remember from where)

Chicken feet, claws, fangs (Asmat)
I don't know, but this stuff makes me dizzy.

Shaman's ritual necklace of the Dayak people.
Although it looks totally redundant with the decor on my left and right columns.

Ritual Medicine Amulet (Dayak)
Hadn't thought of that. Damn. Just ignore it.

6 comments:

steufel said...: Great pieces - I really like tribal themed jewelry.; 6/18/10, 3:25 AM
stregata said...: You're right - there is soooo very much inspiration in the world. Aren't we lucky to be able to see it all? And now we don't even have to go to a museum...; 6/18/10, 9:50 AM
fanciful devices said...: stregata! It's so true. we are totally oblivious to the miracle we're living through, or I am, often. Before internet, I was uninspired and felt isolated. Now, I can find a community of peers w/o having to be part of some famous salon circle of the paris 1930s scene or whatever.... And all us artsy types can live in small towns w/o feeling like the only freak in the world.
I am so flippin lucky, oh my god.; 6/18/10, 1:17 PM
Unknown said...: Hi Fancy! I was really excited to see this post from you!
Tribal has been pulling at my heart for a while now, I think it is in rebellion to all the mod/kitchy stuff being shoved down our throats in mainstream design. ;)
I am finishing the piles of stuff to send you and Beloved Sparrow, now I can include something I know you will like from the tribal vein!; 6/19/10, 2:34 PM
fanciful devices said...: YAY!; 6/20/10, 6:49 PM
Anonymous said...: The earrings. From Sarawak maybe? :); 7/19/12, 6:16 AM